


Why Die Guilty

by Purgatorhetorical



Category: The Amazing World of Gumball
Genre: Angst, Boyfriends, Comfort, Coping, Fluff, Gay, Growing Up, Hurt/Comfort, Inspired by Music, It Gets Worse, M/M, Romance, Sequel, There may be a time rip, Time Shenanigans
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-13
Updated: 2020-11-27
Packaged: 2021-03-09 22:33:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 14,752
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27533827
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Purgatorhetorical/pseuds/Purgatorhetorical
Summary: Sequel to Ethereal Equilibrium, in an attempt to win back the love of his life in their current universe, Gumball is put into an interesting situation. When a familiar face shows up, he's forced to overcome conflict after conflict and fix what he created.
Relationships: Rob/Gumball Watterson
Comments: 17
Kudos: 19





	1. Hazy

Although the sun was barely up, Gumball was sitting on the living room couch, already ready for school. His last encounter with Rob had been less than a week ago, but he felt like it had been a month. All that time spent with him in the other dimension seemed to catch up with him, and he missed Rob dearly. The TV had nothing interesting, and nobody else was up yet, but he still found ways to entertain himself. After everything that took place, he'd taken up sketching as a hobby. Gumball would sketch all the pretty things around him, and each page seemed to have at least one small doodle of the Rob he'd met in the other universe.

Nicole Watterson was having a hard time dealing with her son. He'd been getting up earlier, being more respectful, staying in his room more, and she took all of these things as a bad sign. While it was definitely refreshing, it was not fun worrying about his mental state and where he might be at all times. Often, she would look over Gumball's shoulder and ask him what he's sketching, or how he's feeling. She stopped becoming suspicious when he woke up early since that was just apart of his routine now.

It wasn't just her though, it was also his sister. Anais was a very smart girl, and she knew that something had happened, no matter how many times Gumball denied that anything happened. The only one who had witnessed him using the remote was Darwin, and he hadn't told anyone. Everyone was under the impression he'd ran away from home, but Anais just wasn't convinced. Every morning, she'd wake up a little earlier than usual and join Gumball downstairs, interrogating him about what he'd been doing.

Meanwhile, Darwin started waking up later and later. He'd often miss the bus and ignore Gumball when he tried to wake him up. He would stay in their room for most of the evening, and talk very little at the dinner table. At school, he was quieter, and at home, he was distant. Nicole should've been more worried about him, but she was too focused on Gumball. In a way, it was understandable, she had to keep an eye on her son who had possibly run away. There was always a possibility he'd do it again, at least that's how she saw it.

When the bus came to pick up the kids, Gumball was the first out the door. That morning, Darwin had gotten up with help from Anais, and the school day seemed to progress as usual. "Hey, can I ask you a question?" Darwin asks once the two are seated in their usual seat on the bus. Gumball nods, and Darwin seems to hesitate. "Where did you go? I know you used the remote.. I saw you disappear!" Gumball froze up. Darwin's voice was quiet, he didn't want anyone else to hear this conversation.

"Nowhere that special." Gumball was a pretty bad liar at times, but he was sure he could cool Darwin just this once. Unfortunately, he was very easy to read, especially for someone who knew him so well.

"Then why were you gone for so long? You could have come back anytime, right?" Gumball became fidgety, which caused Darwin to become even more concerned and suspicious. From behind them, someone poked their head up, and leaned over the seat to listen in.

"Whatcha talking about?" Although startled at first, Gumball became somewhat relieved to see Anais. That relief quickly faded though, as he realized he'd have to eventually tell them everything. They never seemed to give up or know when to quit.

"Gumball used the reality remote to go somewhere!" Darwin says quickly, and before Gumball could interrupt, Anais gasps. She didn't really look like she was upset or even in disbelief, but there was a smug smile on her face. Anais was smart, and now Gumball was really forced to tell the truth. If anyone could read him better than Darwin, it was her. She had skills unlike anyone else when it came to telling the difference between truths and lies. Anais was powerful, and horrifying.

"Oh, I see. Where'd ya go?" Anais asks, that smug smile turning into a terrifying smirk. "You know you can tell me... I'm sure you didn't do anything too terrible. You wouldn't betray me, right?" With those last words, her eyes became big, and she had that look on her face that could get her anything. It was unbearable! Gumball's one weakness... His sister's puppy eyes and near ability to read minds!

"Okay okay! Don't look at me like that! I went back to the past to make things right with Rob." He spoke quickly, hoping maybe they wouldn't process it, or be able to understand it. Maybe they wouldn't care, but that was obviously not what would happen. If Anais could find anything to use against Gumball, she was quick to snatch up that information and make use of it immediately to get her way.

"Wait, really? All that, to fix things with him?" Darwin sounded confused, but he did perk up a little. "I am glad you didn't run away from home but, this is just as confusing! He hasn't done anything good for you.. and how does that even work?"

Gumball sighs in frustration. He'd have to tell the full story, but he decided he'd leave out the details. "It malfunctioned and I got sent to another universe where I met Rob before everything." He didn't want to talk about their love story, or anything like that. Not to his siblings.

"Were you there for so long because you couldn't get back? How did you get back? What was he like? What did you do?" Darwin asked a lot of questions.

"Yeah." Gumball answers with a shrug, and the bus came to a halt. With that, he hurried off to the school doors, leaving Anais and Darwin incredibly confused and even more suspicious. At the very least, Darwin seemed to be a little less down.


	2. The talk

The school day passed uneventfully, Anais and Darwin both attempted talking to Gumball at separate times in the hallway, only to be turned away with a new excuse. During lunch, Gumball sat completely alone, and was soon greeted by Penny.

"What's wrong?" Penny asks with a reassuring smile on her face. It felt like the other universe all over again, but different. This time, he could get everything with Penny over with much quicker. Things were easier after doing it once before.

"Can I talk to you about something serious?" Gumball asks, his expression changing to one of concern. He didn't want Penny thinking this was her fault, not like last time. Penny nods, listening. "What I'm about to say isn't your fault. I've been thinking alot and I.." this really wasn't much easier. "I think I'm more into... Guys."

"Wait, what? You're.. gay?" Penny sounded confused. Gumball didn't want to have to explain that he was questioning and might be a little more bisexual, so he nods. "I have to be honest.. I'm a little bit upset, but I know you can't control that." She sighs. "Does this mean we're.. done?" She asks.

"I think so." Gumball says with a sigh. "Just, please don't think it's your fault!" Penny nods and gives a somewhat sad smile.

"I know." She says, before standing up, walking over to Darwin's table. She immediately starts talking to Darwin with a sad look on her face. It was a little odd for her to be chatting with Darwin, but it made sense. He knew Gumball best anyways.

Toward the end of the school day, Gumball was walking down the hallway. As he opened the school doors, he spotted someone familiar in the distance, Rob. Without hesitation, he runs straight toward him. "What are you doing here?"

"I told you I'd see you again soon. Now come on." Rob grabs Gumball's arm. This version certainly wasn't as gentle as the other, but it didn't matter much to the lovestruck boy, allowing himself to be pulled around by the other. Before long, they were back in that same very familiar forest clearing. "You're lucky I'm giving you any chances at all, you know. I can't believe you left your girlfriend for me... Twice."

Gumball knew he was right, this wasn't like Rob at all, but at least he knew there was still some empathy in that cold distorted shell of a body. "I really like you. I wouldn't do this for anyone else!" He was speaking from the heart, though he wasn't very good at it.

"Is that so?" Gumball nods. Although Rob wasn't entirely on board with this just yet, he did feel a little bit of something for Gumball. After what he'd witnessed, he wished that other version of himself was who he was now. He wanted what they had, he'd always wanted what everyone else had, but he knew that the world would reject him again and again. Being a natural pessimist, he felt nothing could ever go his way, and things would continue to go against him.

Gumball felt comfortable still, and would occasionally forget anything had changed. In an attempt to make everything feel less tense, he leans his head on Rob's shoulder, to which Rob responds the same way his alternate counterpart did. He wraps his arm around the other's waist, pulling him closer. It was something he'd never do for anyone else, and even with Gumball it felt weird, but he didn't care as much right now. He wanted something to happen, he wanted romance to bloom, but he just didn't know if it was possible.

"I want to feel something. Something more than hatred and sadness, something more than pessimism, I just want to feel something." Rob admits quietly. Gumball nods, snuggling closer. "If you can make me feel something more.. Maybe I'll accept whatever confession you throw at me." Gumball smiles before sitting back up straight. He crawls in front of Rob, immediately wrapping his arms around him. He couldn't be any more grateful for this chance, he would win his heart.

Although a little startled, Rob hugs back, slowly wrapping his arms around Gumball's waist, pulling him closer. He craved this warmth in an odd way, but he also despised it. It was definitely just stubbornness, he didn't want to suddenly fall for someone he hated before. It didn't take much longer for the two to feel comfortable, holding onto eachother as if nothing else in this pointless world mattered. It didn't, nothing here ever mattered, not this, not them, but at least it felt like it did. For once in Rob's pointless life, it did.

Gumball pulls back just enough to be able to see Rob's face, placing a hand on his static cheek. A little confused, Rob tried to stutter out a sentence, which Gumball hushed. He leaned in, getting closer and closer, until their lips touched. Gumball's tail swished peacefully, his ears rested in such a way that seemed to show he was relaxed. This feeling was special, but it was so unfamiliar and scary to someone like Rob. This version of himself had never felt anything like it, and while it felt absolutely wonderful, it was a lot. Things moved too fast for him already, they were too close, and after a second of the kiss being held out, Rob pushes Gumball back very suddenly. He was very freaked out, he became speechless and wide eyed.

"Gumball, listen. You can't do this to me! Not this way, no." Rob's voice seemed a little bit upset, but he sounded way more freaked out. "You were with someone else out there, you weren't with me, we're separate! I'm not that guy anymore, I wish you'd understand that. This already feels wrong to me, it already feels like you think I'm someone else, and I'm just waiting for you to get tired and leave when you realize I'm not some idealized version of myself you met in another timeline!" He was nearly shouting, but truthfully he wasn't as upset as he sounded. Gumball's ears were down, and he just stared. Rob stood up quickly.

"I'll see you later." He says, before hurrying off, leaving Gumball alone on the forest floor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kids, consent is important


	3. Dreaming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A familiar figure returns.

"I don't think I'll go today." Gumball says to his concerned mother. It now became worrisome when he didn't wake up early, some when Nicole went downstairs and found nobody early in the morning, she knew something was off. Gumball didn't have a fever, but he did seem terribly down. As strictness his mother was alot of the time, she knew he was going through something, and decided that the best possible option would be to let him stay home for just one day.

"Alright, but if I catch you out of bed mister, you're never staying home again. You'd better not just be using this as an excuse!", Nicole always had that strict and careful mother vibe to her, she wanted her kids to turn out well, and she never meant harm. It wasn't like Gumball had a reason to leave bed anyways, he did feel a little sick at the thought of Rob and everything that had happened the other day. The guilt he experienced on the daily was back, and color seemed to drain away from his life once again.

To get rid of the intrusive and sudden thoughts flooding his head as a product of the regret and guilt he held, he decided to lay down and get some rest. Maybe he'd feel better after a nap, he just needed one day to himself. It wasn't long before the boy had drifted into sleep.

When Gumball opened his eyes, it was dark outside. Had he really been asleep for that long? He stood up, assuming everyone was having dinner, it only seemed to be late evening. What time was it anyways? Gumball looked around his room, but instead of his somewhat empty walls, there were clocks. Clocks of all sizes, clocks that made loud tick  
and tock sounds, clocks with funky images behind the hands and numbers. None of them kept a persistent time. Slowly, Gumball opened up his room door, and began to head downstairs. The hallways were dark and only lit by the light of a lantern sitting on the ground next to his bedroom door.

Gumball picked up the lantern, and as he made his way down the steps and toward the kitchen, it illuminated his path. The floors of his home weren't tile or carpet, but instead moss and dirt. It was awfully quiet aside from the many clocks in his room and the distant dripping of what sounded like the kitchen sink. It was cold like a cave, vines grew down the walls and family photos were burnt, their frames broken. Nobody was in sight, and the greenery only got thicker as he continued navigating his once comfortable home.

The windows looked out on a beautiful view Gumball had never seen before. The ground was a translucent glassy material, and the evening sky was a deep and mystical purple gradient. The moon was as gorgeous and full as ever, its white light streaming into his kitchen, illuminating what was left. The table was full of shattered glass, the edges charred and the wood dark in color. There was only one chair, vines growing up the legs, as if it hadn't moved in decades. There was no sink, but there was a leak in the ceiling, water dripping down onto the dirt floor.

On the other side of the kitchen was a large, unscathed and untouched mirror. The frame was antique, made out of wood with intricate patterns carved in, a thin layer of cheap and peeling gold paint overlaying the original wood color. The glass of the mirror, while clean, looked as if something had previously dripped down it, leaving it to look as if it was eternally crying.

As Gumball came closer, the lantern began to reveal something other than his own reflection behind the glass of the mirror. He wasn't there at all, he only saw the thin figure of someone else turned around and hunched over. It was as if they were observing something. The person behind the glass wore a worn sweater and shorts that came down to just above their knees, they had no shoes but were wearing long white socks. They seemed so unfamiliar at first.

Gumball came closer to the mirror, before reaching a hand out to touch the glass. His hand became freezing cold as it hovered over the mirror's surface, and right as he made contact with the strange object, the figure turned around. Immediately, the glass shattered, and the figure's eye became wide. This wasn't just someone he didn't know, this was someone he'd missed dearly. Gumball quickly stumbled back as the glass exploded toward him, a small piece cutting his cheek. Blood trickled down his fur, and before he could say anything, the figure was gone. The only reflection he saw in the remaining glass was his own.

Finally, he opened his eyes for real, and the sun was still up, his alarm said 10 am. His cheek was still bleeding.


	4. Missing pieces

"Gumball! What happened to your cheek?" Darwin asks. Gumball had put a bandaid on the cut he'd woken up with, and stayed silent for most of dinner. All day, he sat in bed, doing barely anything. Poor Gumball couldn't say anything, he didn't know how to respond after that dream, it was too much. Seeing his past lover from another universe caused alot of different feelings within him. The guilt of abandoning him was too much, and the sadness he felt when he realized that was a whole other place and not just the past was flooding back fast.

Anais was suspicious of his lack of a response. "What's wrong Gumball?" She asks, that worried yet suspicious look in her eyes. Anais always seemed to pry into his business, especially if he may have done something wrong. It didn't help that she was intelligent, Gumball couldn't just answer with 'nothing'.

"Bad dream, that's all." He says with a shrug, and continues to eat his dinner. He'd barely touched his food until now, and it only made Anais more suspicious. She narrows her eyes.

"About what?" She asks. Nicole and Richard watched, waiting for Gumball's response. They were also curious, and Nicole was a little bit worried. Gumball shrugs, avoiding eye contact as he eats his food.

"I'm done." He says, having finished not even half of his plate. His mother would usually scold him and tell him to stay and finish his food, but now now. She just knew she couldn't put much pressure on his right now, something was wrong and she could feel it.

"Are you going to bed early honey?" She asks, concern in her voice. Gumball shrugs, quietly leaving the dinner table and heading up to his room. He sits in bed and replays that scene over and over again, where Rob stared back at him and the mirror shattered. His eyes had been wide and confused.

Gumball grabs one of his pillows, hugging it tightly to his chest. Tears begin to fall from his eyes, which the pillow soaked up with ease. No matter what he did, he couldn't simulate Rob's warm touch, he couldn't do anything to make it feel like he was next to the one he loved so dearly.

"I miss you..." he cries out, the words muffled by the pillow. Through the crack in the partially open door, Darwin and Anais watched, occasionally glancing at one another. Before long, Gumball was fast asleep, pillow still tight in his arms.

"I love you." A voice whispered in his head. No, not again. He wished he didn't let himself fall asleep, because now he was back in his broken down and overgrown house. It was even greener and more overgrown than before, and the last thing he wanted to do was head to the mirror. He was already here though, so he might as well check.

"Hello?" He calls out into the darkness, making his way toward the kitchen. There was no response, but the mirror was back in tact. Nobody was there.

"Are you happier?" A voice rang out from behind him. Gumball spins around to be greeted by the Rob he once knew. He looked as if he'd been crying. "I don't blame you, but I miss you. Please, if you don't find any luck in this timeline... Come back to me. I'll always wait for you Gumball, always!" He had a smile on his face, and as the dream began to fade away, Gumball wrapped his arms around him. The warmth felt so real, but it went as soon as it came. He woke up to the alarm, 6 in the morning, and got ready for school.


	5. Why can't this be Easy?

Finally, he was awake again, and this time he felt even worse. However, Gumball was not ready to give up yet, he couldn't give into his feelings like that, his dreams couldn't take over his life so easily. That was all just his subconscious playing tricks on him, and he was sure he could fight it. After all, he'd done this sort of thing before. It wasn't that hard to win against his mind, even if it was really awful to him. He learned that from the other Rob. With that, Gumball sat on the couch and waited for school to start as usual. Today, he would seek out Rob.

"Oh, you're feeling better honey?" His mother asks, coming down the stairs. Soon, Darwin and the rest of his family were all downstairs as well, getting ready for the day. Nicole felt pretty relieved that Gumball didn't feel like skipping school again. She may have been strict at times, but she really was a loving mother, she only meant well. Taking a mental health day was something she understood, even if she was flawed and imperfect much like Gumball. Of all the mistakes she'd made before as a parent, this wasn't one of them, Gumball would've been miserable if he hadn't taken that day off, and that dream seemed to make him more motivated rather than sad. That was the Gumball that Darwin knew, and when he saw him sitting on the couch, he breathed a sigh of relief.

Darwin came and sat next to Gumball. "Did you have anymore bad dreams last night?" He asks. Darwin didn't want to ruin the mood, but he did want to know. He was sure the sudden mood shift had to be caused by something. It was just last night he'd spotted Gumball in his room, crying himself to asleep while hugging a pillow, crying out to an invisible force that he'd missed someone. Gumball shrugs.

"It wasn't a bad dream, but it wasn't good either." Darwin nods in understanding, he'd had a lot of those dreams before. It seemed like the bus arrived sooner than usual, and it wasn't long before the two were sitting in their usual spot, on their way to school. Gumball had the window seat, so he'd stared at the outside world the entire time. He felt like he was in some sort of crazy teen drama, this was just so unlike him in every way, but he was going through alot. He felt all his actions were justified, and like he was doing the right thing. He'd been doing the right thing for awhile now, all he wanted was for no one to get hurt while he tried to win back the love of his life. Sadly, that last part wasn't working out as well as he'd hoped, and this Rob seemed completely horrified at the idea of moving fast. It was almost as if the reactions he had to all these physical affections were trauma induced, they were so sudden and he seemed so freaked out.

"Gumball, we're here!" Darwin taps his brother's shoulder. Gumball had been so lost in his own thoughts, he almost forgot what they were doing. As the two hopped out of the bus and strolled up to the school doors, he spotted a familiar shadow in the distant hallway. There he was, Rob was here, and he'd probably be waiting for the end of the school day. However, Gumball wasn't going to wait that long. By the time he got inside, he waved to Darwin, and hurried off to a nearby locker. Rob was leaning against it, and nobody seemed to care or ask any questions. He just stood there, as if waiting for something. Excitedly, Gumball shouts.

"Hey!" A couple people in the hallway turn to look at him, before going back to their own business. "Sorry, I mean, hey Rob." He quiets down a little. Rob had jumped at his sudden booming voice, but he seemed to calm down quickly.

"Oh. It's just you." He relaxes, standing up straight. "What is it?" Gumball pauses. What was it? He didn't even know. Why did he want to see Rob so bad, what would he even say? It wasn't often he was considerate of other people's feelings, even with how much growth he'd gone through.

"I just wanted to say that... That I'm sorry! I didn't mean to scare you, please give me another chance!" Gumball seems to almost shout it. His voice cracked as he spoke, he couldn't let this end here, and Rob actually seemed surprised by this.

"Woah. I wouldn't be here if you didn't still have a chance, you know. You'd probably never see me again if that was the case." Gumball looks up at him with hope in his eyes. He was right, there would be no reason for Rob to even be standing here if he wasn't around for Gumball. "Now wipe that stupid frown off your dumb face." There it was. That genuine smile was back, and it was wonderful to see it. "It's not attractive. Let's go." The two saunder off down the hall together, and Gumball was even allowed to hold Rob's arm. Finally, he felt like he was back on his feet.


	6. Affection

During class, Gumball could feel Rob's presence. He wasn't in the room, but he stood outside the door, waiting for the class to end. He decided he'd have lunch with Gumball, and give him another chance to prove himself. Rob was terrified by the idea of love, but he was willing to give it a try. After all, if it worked out in another universe, maybe they could go against the odds again and make it happen here. He still felt a hint of hatred for Gumball, but he was very cute at times, and he couldn't let that thought go. Gumball always had a bit of charm, and he had a personality that really stood out. It was no surprise he was so popular, though alot of people seemed to have mixed feelings on him.

By the time the bell rung for lunch, Gumball was greeted by Rob leaning against the door frame. "Come on, I have an idea." Gumball had no objections to whatever Rob wanted to do. Before long, the two had snuck out of school, and were on their way to their special place. Gumball was a little worried they'd get caught, but he trusted Rob, and he knew this would work out. This time, Gumball didn't even have to make the first awkward move. Rob decided to try. As the two sat on the log, he carefully wrapped an arm around Gumball's waist, pulling him closer. Gumball responded by putting his head on the other's static shoulder. While it made Rob incredibly flustered, he didn't really mind all this affection too much. He actually liked it in a strange way. He had craved this forever, but never knew who to trust.

"I, uhm..." Rob was looking for the right words. "I like this." He says, not sure how else to say it. "I've never been brave enough to try this with anyone, not even before... Everything. I had no one, even when I wasn't this horrible mess, even when my body was normal, when everything was still fine. It was never fine." He found comfort in the fact nothing mattered. While most people would find that heartbreaking, and many people would cry and breakdown at even the thought of nothing meaning anything, Rob found solace in that. If things actually mattered, it would be over. Someone had created him to be this way, an outside force was pushing them far from one another.

It was time that this hatred ended, he knew it'd gone on for far too long and he didn't like it. Nobody liked it, Rob was tired of a cold, sad, loveless life. He'd been given a second chance and he wasn't going to just let it slip through his fingers. So far, he'd wasted time and done nothing more. He decided to get a little bolder with his actions, a little more brave, he pulled Gumball up onto his lap and hugged him. Surprised by this action, Gumball felt like he could cry. It was so warm and familiar, it was special. He wraps his arms loosely around Rob's neck, staring into his face. Rob felt so embarrassed and unsure of what to do, but he didn't mind this, this was good for him. He needed this affection and love really bad.

"You're pretty." Gumball says quietly, placing a hand on Rob's static cheek. Looking at this with a new perspective helped him feel a lot better than last time, but that word... That word held so much power over him, it was ridiculous. He wanted to be called that all the time, he couldn't stand how much he loved that word. Gumball remembered the way that other version of Rob had reacted to that word before. He knew it was a weakness, and he just loved seeing Rob just melt at being called that. Not too many boys liked that word, and Gumball found it so cute that Rob of all people did. He shivered at Gumball's breath, which was hitting his face. They were so close, barely even centimeters apart.

"Yes." Rob says. Gumball hadn't asked, but he knew what he was thinking. "You can. I won't run away this time." With that, the two leaned closer, sharing a kiss that felt magical to Rob. He'd never in his life experienced something so wonderful, nobody had ever gotten so close to him, what was this new feeling. He held onto Gumball tighter, holding it out. Neither of them were good kissers, but that didn't really matter.


	7. Another talk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Epic boundary talk, consent is epic

Gumball didn't leave his place in Rob's lap, not even when he knew lunch was over. "I don't want you to leave. Let's ditch." Rob pulls him further up on his lap, hugging him tighter. Gumball's cheeks flush, and as a growing teen boy with overflowing hormones he began to have several overflowing thoughts he didn't know how to deal with.

"Rob.. this is scary." He says quietly. "People like us, in these situations.. they sometimes do, uh, things, and... And I don't think we're old enough for that sorta thing yet, and I just want you to know," Rob quickly hushed Gumball.

"I know." Gumball avoided eye contact, his cheeks were a bright red. "I can wait as long as you want. Besides, that wasn't even on my mind." He was totally lying, he'd been thinking the exact same thing as Gumball. Due to a lack of sex education and a less than decent public school system, neither of them knew much about consent, but they had enough common sense to know if they ever decided to do anything like that, it would be in the distant future. "While we're here, let's just think of the simple things." Gumball nods in agreement, smiling at Rob.

"Someday, we can get all complicated and stuff." Gumball giggles cutely. They weren't even dating yet, but Rob nods anyways. The agreement still stood, and he certainly was feeling things.

"Gumball, I don't know just yet. I like you, but I'm still not sure. I'm nervous about, uh... Other people's opinions." Rob says with a sigh. "I know it sounds weird, but think about Darwin, and Penny, and the people you know. Isn't it weird to you?" Gumball shakes his head. He keeps hugging Rob, giving him a gentle kiss on the cheek.

"I don't get it, but it's okay. I guess it makes sense." Gumball buries his face in Rob's neck, causing shivers up Rob's spine at the feeling of warm breath on his warped and static skin. Gumball places a soft kiss on Rob's jaw, to which he responds by flinching. "Sorry." Gumball says quietly.

"It's okay." Rob's voice got incredibly soft, a small smile forming on his face. "We have all the time in the world. What should we do?" Gumball sighs, thinking of all the possibilities. He stayed quiet, his face still buried in the other's neck.

"I just want to be with you, we can do whatever you want." Gumball stays close, his eyes closing. As Rob held him, he slowly fell into a deep slumber, awakening once again in the world of dreams. "What? No, not now!" Gumball shouts in frustration.

"Why not?" Asks a voice beside him, and there he was. The other Rob, standing beside his overgrown bed of moss and leaves. He sits down, giving Gumball a concerned look. "What are you up to in the real world?" He asks, to which Gumball doesn't answer. Rob frowns. "What's the matter? I.. I miss you! Isn't this great? We can see eachother again here!"

Gumball frowns. "I was.. in the middle of something. That's all." His ears go down, tail swaying gently. He was becoming irritated and saddened by these dreams. Why did he have to fall asleep now? He was so afraid to tell this Rob that he was currently asleep in the arms of his otherworldly counterpart.

"Are you having much luck?" Rob asks before scooting closer. Gumball shrugs, letting the other place a hand gently on his shoulder. "Ah... I'm always waiting, you know." With that, Gumball shot awake in a cold sweat. The Rob he knew was startled, but still holding onto him.

"What happened? You were whimpering like crazy." Gumball had a frown on his face. The sky was still bright, the school day probably wasn't over yet.

"Nothing." Gumball says with a sigh.


	8. Darwin's gaydar is broken

Darwin Watterson was a small boy who was usually quite oblivious to everything around him. He was a natural optimist, and often said things that could inspire the people around him. Sadly, Darwin never got words of optimism in return. His pessimistic realist of a brother was not as kind or diligent either, which really didn't help, but Darwin somehow stayed positive. Sadly, these past few days were a little different. Darwin didn't feel as happy as usual, and Gumball was distant. Whenever one was without the other, things feels so abnormal.

As the days passed by, things only got worse. Naturally, Darwin had to know what was going on, which he would update Anais and Penny on. Both were concerned and Darwin knew Gumball better than anyone else, so he set out on a mission: Project What's Wrong with Gumball, or Project What for short. "Alright, at lunches, I'll stalk the hallways! You two stay here. If he's not in class, I'll check the boy bathrooms! You guys can check the girl bathrooms and hallways. Boy's bathrooms are way worse! After school, if he's not home I'll check all around the school, and you'll come up with excuses to make sure he doesn't get grounded Anais!" The plan seemed solid, and everyone agreed. They were all worried.

The next day, the operation would begin. Darwin kept a close eye on his brother as he left the bus in the morning. On his way toward the school, Gumball stopped and talked to someone. Darwin couldn't see who, too many students were blocking the way. The hallways in the morning were clear, Gumball went straight to class, but lunch was a different story. He wasn't even in the cafeteria! Darwin quickly hurried to find him in the hallways, and finally, he spotted him walking out the door with... Rob? Well that was weird. Was that who he'd been talking to earlier? Before the next class, Gumball was back. After school, Gumball was nowhere to be seen for at least an hour.

The next day rolled around and the operation continued. Everything progressed as usual, except Gumball wasn't even in the first class. After checking all the hallways, Darwin decided to check the boys bathroom. There he was, with Rob again, both of them just leaning against a wall and talking to one another. Darwin was careful not to get caught, but it was a high stress mission. Lunchtime was soon approaching, and Darwin became suspicious. Gumball must be planning something. As he walked to the cafeteria he spotted the two holding hands, going in the opposite direction. Quickly, he hurried to Anais and Penny, who sat alone at a table toward the back.

"Anais, Penny! I think Gumball is planning something dangerous with Rob!" Anais gasps.

"No way... Gumball wouldn't! Is he really turning against us? Darwin, how do you know this?" Anais asks, pure fear in her voice.

"They've been everywhere together... He can't even tolerate Gumball, but he's being so nice! They talk in love voices and glance around worriedly, like they're scared of getting caught, and, and..." Penny cuts him off.

"If that's the case then... We need to save Gumball! What if he's being used by this guy?" Penny didn't know who Rob was. Darwin and Anais barely knew a thing about him, but they did know a bit about his very angry and hateful attitude toward Gumball.

Darwin nods. "I've got this... I'll follow them after school!" And so he did. When after school arrived, it was easy for Darwin to spot them holding hands in the hallway once again. He kept his distance, but didn't dare let Gumball out of his sight. Darwin carefully and quietly followed as the two send to their special place in the forest. This was perfect! It was easy to hide here, and that's what Darwin did. He hid behind a tree and watched. Compared to the noisy school, it was quiet in here. Neither of the boys seemed as paranoid of someone watching, and as they sat on the log in the center of the small clearing, Darwin listened in.

"It's hard to say this, but thank you." Rob says, smiling at Gumball. That smile became a lot less rare now. "I've never experienced these things before. I never expected I would get to." Gumball smiles back, climbing onto Rob's lap. He gives him a hug, tail swishing in such a way that Darwin hadn't seen before. He seemed so relaxed, it was different from how he normally acted at home. The two talked, having deep conversations about this and that, but something happened that caught Darwin's attention.

"I think you're so pretty." Gumball says in a near whisper. That never failed to make Rob into a flustered mess. It was the one weak point Gumball knew of, aside from the gentle kisses he'd occasionally place on his static jaw and the names he'd call him every so often. While Rob was caught off guard, Gumball took the opportunity to lean in and give him a kiss.

Wait. Wait, huh? That wasn't how partners in crime would act, and Rob certainly wasn't treating Gumball like how you'd treat someone you're using. Darwin gasps at this sudden realization. Oh my god, they were in love. There was no plan to turn against anyone, they were spending all their time with eachother because they were together. With this new information, Darwin understood everything. The look in their eyes as they stared at one another, even in this instance, was nothing but love.

The next day at school, Darwin sat at the lunch table with Penny and Anais. "Darwin, how did things go? Did you find out any new information?" Anais asks. Darwin nods.

"I think.. we may have been wrong." Darwin looks at them with a nervous smile. His expression seemed so much more relieved now. "Gumball has a boyfriend."


	9. Sorry Penny

Penny felt her heart drop at the words Darwin had just said. Gumball already had a new boyfriend, and she couldn't be upset. It wasn't his fault he was more interested in guys, she knew that, but it still hurt. Penny was a genuine and kind person though. She would support Gumball no matter his decision, even if it hurt her, because his happiness was important. This was better than if he hasn't told her, or if he'd been cold about it, and for that she was appreciative. The table was quiet, but Anais was quick to break that silence.

"Wait. Why Rob of all people? He has so many options, but someone who hated him? That's just weird." Anais was confused, which made Darwin feel the same. That was pretty weird, and Anais was pretty smart, so he trusted what she said. "Gumball said he spent all that time away in another universe. He was pretty quiet about what happened there, and remember that night a week ago? He cried himself to sleep." Darwin quickly understood what Anais was getting at.

"Another universe?" Penny asks. Right, she hadn't been updated yet, that was a problem. Anais nods.

"Remember when he was absent for a long time? Well, he used this weird remote thingy to go to the past, but he said it took him somewhere else entirely!" Darwin sounded excited to be talking about this. It was like putting pieces of a puzzle together. "He told us nothing about it."

"So what if... Gumball liked him before all that, and tried to go back to make his chances better?" Anais theorized. Darwin and Penny seemed to be thinking on it. Before long, Darwin nods.

"That seems pretty likely. Doesn't he blame Gumball for alot of his issues?" Gumball would occasionally vent to Darwin, and Darwin had an excellent memory in the moment. When it came to Rob, he knew quite a decent amount from the things Gumball had said in the past. Rob never seemed like a very good guy, and it was very surprising that they'd fallen for eachother. "It's weird, but I think you might be onto something Anais." Penny sat there, quiet and unsure of how to respond to any of this. She didn't know what to say or believe, and she was a bit upset. She was also skeptical, maybe Gumball was going crazy.

That night, Penny went to bed feeling cold and alone. She was optimistic about the situation, and she knew what was right, but she couldn't help from feeling upset. She had genuine feelings for Gumball, and it felt impossible that he could so suddenly be more interested in guys. She knew this was a major period of self discovery for everyone their age. She knew from the very beginning they wouldn't last together, most relationships starting at the age they'd started at didn't, but still. They'd been together for  
so so long, had Gumball been suppressing these feelings all that time? Did he really fall in love with someone else before they'd ended things? Still, Penny didn't put the blame on him, not at all.

As the sky darkened, she drifted to sleep, entering a new dreamland she'd never seen before. There was a reflective translucent surface beneath her feet, with nothing but empty sky beneath it. In front of her, an overgrown house she recognized as the Watterson household. Slowly, she began walking toward it, peeking in through the window. It didn't look like a house at all. All she saw through the window was Gumball and someone she didn't recognize, sitting at a table in a mall like setting. That someone she didn't recognize was a tall cyclops, with skin that was pale blue, and light brown hair. He was talking and laughing with Gumball. But who was that in the background? At another table behind them was... Herself, with Darwin and Carrie. She looked upset, the other two were laughing and clearly trying to cheer her up. Gumball quickly looked around and spotted them, before seeming to break into near tears. The Penny through the window waved at Gumball, who turned back to Rob and began talking.

What was this? What was this strange vision she was seeing, and who was that? Penny went around to the other side of the house, opening the front door, only to be greeted by another scene. It was the school bus, parked right outside of the school entrance as usual. As students piled out, Gumball stayed standing still, staring up at the last student who'd gotten off. She couldn't hear them, but he said something to make the other blush. It was the same mysterious figure. Penny shut the front door and went to the other side of the house.

Another scene was playing out already. In their school cafeteria, it was her and Darwin alone at a table, watching Gumball and that same strange guy. Gumball had his head on the other boy's shoulder, they were sharing earbuds.

"What is this?" She asks, but nobody responds. The other her was talking to Darwin, a very worried expression on her face as Darwin nods along. "Why are you doing this to me?!" She shouts, as if her dream can hear her. Her head didn't listen, and continued to play out another strange scene, where Gumball was kissing and hugging this other guy in the middle of the forest, and before long, everything around her was static.

She wasn't supposed to see any of that. Oops.


	10. Wow that's not good!

"I don't understand... What is this place?" Penny asks, but there's no answer. Around her were quiet waves of static, everything felt so empty and cold. She could tell she wasn't supposed to be here, yet here she was. "Hello?" She calls out, before standing up and looking for an exit. "This isn't real." She whispers to herself. Penny knew dreams were a mixture of fears and deep emotions, none of this would affect the real world. An older television from behind her began to play out a new scene, taking place inside the overgrown Watterson household. Nobody was there except for Gumball and that guy again. Who was he?

This time, she could hear what they were saying. The two sat on Gumball's bed, covered in moss, grass, and dried leaves. "What are you doing in the real world?" Asks the unknown boy. Gumball sighs, leaning against him.

"I know you want me to come back but I... I just can't. I can't leave everyone behind like that again, and besides..." Gumball was having a hard time finishing his sentence. "I've made so much progress here! I mean, with the you that I hurt in my timeline. We're close and, he.. you, forgave me." Rob looked saddened by that. So Gumball was having luck in his timeline.

"Ah.. Then, can we at least have one more moment together? I don't want to forget about you." Gumball nods, giving Rob a gentle kiss on the jaw, then a few more kisses going up to his cheek and his forehead. Rob giggles, hugging him tight. "Gumball... When you go, please promise that you won't forget about me. I don't want to be forgotten, I don't want to disappear."

With that, the television had shut off, and Penny was left heartbroken. She would support Gumball, but she didn't want to watch all this unfold in front of her. After what felt like forever, she'd woken up late for the new day. She wasn't going to tolerate this, it was too real to be a coincidence. Penny was fine with Gumball's sexuality, she was fine with his new boyfriend, she was not fine with having to watch it all play out. She was not fine with it being rubbed in her face, it was like a hard slap. She would have to talk to Gumball and find a way to stop it.

Meanwhile, Gumball was standing in front of the school, holding both of Rob's hands in his. "Come on, my family won't mind! Just stay for tonight!" Rob seemed flattered at his words.

"I can't just say no to that cute face. Alright, fine then, I'll come over." It wasn't like he had anything better to do, or anywhere to really go for that matter. Gumball scurried off to class, but he didn't make it there before he was stopped by Penny in the hallway.

"Gumball! I need you to help me!" She sounded frantic, and it scared Gumball. "I had this dream last night... And I don't want to be tormented anymore! I don't mind that you found someone else, I can move on, but I don't want to live like this. All night, it was just me living through your experiences with some weird blue cyclops I've never met before! All night, it was heartbreak and pain, because I had to watch you go off with someone else... I don't want any part in that!" Penny was practically shouting, the two were getting weird looks. A few people had even stopped to watch.

"Please. Why did this happen? I don't get it, why me? What did I do to deserve that? I was in this horrible place full of static and even more emotional torture. It's been three years, Gumball, I know you left me for him. I'm not even angry! I just don't want to see this, I don't want to see this!" Penny looked like she could break any second now. "I can't take this!" Gumball couldn't do anything but stand there silently. What was the point of her saying all this? Was it just building up? That was an odd dream though.. she'd dreamt of him and the other Rob, someone she'd never met before. The entire hallway seemed to stand still.

Mr Small gently placed a hand on Penny's shoulder, causing her to jump. She had tears in her eyes as she turned to look at him. "Let's talk. I'm here to listen to your problems, alright? It's not good to take your anger out on others." Penny nods. Almost instantly, the pure regret appeared in her eyes. She stared at Gumball with those sad, regretful eyes as she was taken away by Mr Small.


	11. Truth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gumball says it finally

That night, Rob came over. It was a bit weird, but they'd decided it was alright to officially start dating now, and Gumball would rather introduce him to his parents than wait for them to find out some other embarrassing way. After all, Gumball was nearly 16, and he felt like this was mature. He'd told his mom ahead of time that he wanted to bring a 'friend' over, so when the two walked in the door, Nicole was ready to greet them.

"Hi boys! How was school?" She asks, nervousness in her voice. Though she didn't care a whole lot, she wanted to make a good first impression in front of her son's friends. Little did she know what was coming.

"Mom, this is Rob." Nicole seemed a little weirded out by his appearance. Rob was unlike anyone Gumball knew, but she shrugged it off. Rob gave a small wave and a nervous smile. Nicole invited them inside, where Richard, Anais, and Darwin were on the couch watching television.

"Do you like pizza?" Nicole asks. Rob shrugs, he didn't really have anything he particularly liked or disliked.

"Don't worry mom, I don't think he has any allergies. Anything will be fine, just call us when dinner is ready!" With that, Gumball grabs Rob's hand and hurries up to his room. "Okay, listen, this is a huge deal! Tonight, I'm coming out to my parents!" His voice was hushed as he shut his bedroom door.

"Gumball! I wish you'd told me that sooner." Rob says with a sigh. He just wanted to be able to prepare.

"I know I know, but I thought you wouldn't agree to come, and I don't wanna do this alone!" The two sit on the edge of Gumball's bed. Rob rolls his eyes.

"Alright then, fine. And let me guess, you're planning on telling them I'm your boyfriend too?" Gumball nods, his eyes all sparkly and big. Rob couldn't resist a face like that, he had no choice but to agree. With a frustrated sigh, he nods.

"Fine. Under one condition! No PDA in front of your parents. It's weird and embarrassing even when we're alone." Gumball smiles and nearly tackles Rob to his bed. It was his way of saying thanks. The two just hugged and talked for the next hour or two before Nicole called for them again.

"Boys, dinner!" She shouts up the stairs. Nicole couldn't be happier her son was making friends, but she was really in for a surprise.

Within seconds, both boys were downstairs, taking their places at the table. Richard switched off the television, and the rest of the family joined them. They began to eat in silence, but Gumball could barely wait. Nicole passed the salt to Richard, who had to go 'wash the salt off' what was cooked when he added too much. Anais tried to finish extra quick so she could go back to watching television.

Gumball to do this while everyone was still there. "Mom, I have something to tell you." He says as soon as his dad sits back down. It seemed like Anais had somehow caught on immediately. She narrows her eyes, shaking her head slightly, as if to signal that nobody would take this well. Gumball couldn't help but reach for Rob's hand under the table.

Rob took his hand, deciding it was okay if it comforted Gumball. Nobody could see it anyways. The table fell silent, Anais was still shaking her head, Darwin looked confused, Richard was distracted, and Nicole waited patiently.

"This is my boyfriend." Gumball blurts out. Anais's eyes went wide, and even Richard choked on his food. Nicole gasps, and everything seems to stop. Darwin's confusion turned to worry, he didn't know how his family would react.

"I.. sorry!" Quickly, Nicole left the table, needing a moment to process those words. Gumball had a boyfriend? This was crazy! She wasn't angry, but she couldn't believe she left them alone in Gumball's room for so long! What if they were... No. Gumball wouldn't. Nicole knew that, she wasn't thinking rationally.

Before long, she came back to the dinner table, where Gumball was leaning his head on Rob's shoulder for support. Although Rob said no PDA around his parents, he decided it was okay. The weight of the situation was starting to hit, and he didn't know if Gumball was being disowned or accepted yet. He held Gumball close, one arm hooked around him, but he was shaking. He felt so embarrassed and worried.

"Gumball, honey. Whatever happened to that nice girl, Penny?" Nicole asks with a forced smile.

"I like guys. She understood!" Gumball smiles at his mom, and immediately she felt guilty. She didn't mean to come off as unaccepting, but she probably did.

"Gumball... When did you realize this?" The forced smile was gone now. She didn't look upset, but she did look serious.

"A few months ago, but I guess I always thought girls were attractive too... I guess I like both!" Nicole couldn't help but sigh, this was alot of information for her to process. "...Are you upset?" Gumball asks.

Quickly, his mother sits up straight. "No, no! I'm not upset about who you're attracted to, Gumball. That's your decision, none of us are angry." Anais was surprised. She was afraid that maybe their family would be a little less accepting; she worried that Gumball would put himself in an unsafe situation, but she was wrong. "It's just very sudden. We don't love you any less."

Rob had been holding his breath the entire time, and finally, he felt like he could relax. As the night progressed, everything seemed to go back to normal. At first, Rob was going to sleep on the couch at Nicole's request, but when everyone else was in bed Gumball came and snuggled up next to him. The two were small enough to fit on the couch and still be comfortable together. With a blanket over them, in eachother's arms, it felt like heaven.

It was a good end to a bad day.


	12. Idk man

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They break gender stereotypes

Penny didn't come to school the next day, or the day after that, or for the rest of the week. It was worrying Gumball. Luckily, he had Rob to distract him from his concern, and he'd started coming over to his house more often. The two got closer and closer, and eventually they were inseparable. Darwin was supportive, but some of their classmates gave them dirty looks in the halls. Some people didn't like them together, but Gumball didn't really seem to mind. Rob on the other hand felt a little bit uncomfortable with these nasty looks.

It wasn't long before a big event was announced, their first school dance. The two were in their second year of high school, but it was the first time they'd ever gotten the chance to participate in a dance. Now it was up to Gumball to convince his boyfriend to go with him, he already knew how that would go. Convincing Rob to do anything was hard, and it took a lot of effort, but he knew if anyone could, he could do it. After all, against all odds, they'd somehow erased their hatred for one another and replaced it with a bond stronger than ever. There was no way Gumball wouldn't be able to convince Rob to go to the dance.

It was just days before the dance, when Gumball decided to ask. The two were sitting in Gumball's bedroom, where the two cuddled. Rob was quiet, staring up at the bottom of the top bunk, thinking. Gumball had his eyes on Rob the entire time. "The school is having a dance in a few days." Gumball says quickly.

"I'm not going. Dances are pointless." Rob replies almost as quick as he'd asked. "All they're good for is embarrassing yourself."

"That's what makes it fun! Please go with me!" Gumball says in a pleading voice. He really wanted this, and Rob could tell. "You can pick what I wear! We don't have to stay the whole time if you're not having fun!" Hmm...

"I can?" Rob says, his eye lighting up. He was now looking at Gumball, imagining all the things he could put him in. His boyfriend would look good in just about anything, but he had ideas. Gumball nods, and Rob sighs. "Fine then, I'll go, but we're going shopping tomorrow. I get to pick what you wear."

"Can I pick what youuu wear?" Gumball asks, his eyes big and sparkling. Rob goes quiet. He couldn't forgive Gumball for making him go to a dance that easily, but he felt it was only fair.

"Fine, but just this once." Rob was prepared for the worst. He loved his boyfriend, but after their troubled history, he had very low expectations. The next day, after school, the two went straight to the mall. Their first stop was a small and cute clothing store, definitely meant for teen girls.

"Why are we here?" Gumball asks, wondering what Rob was planning. Rob definitely wouldn't be caught dead here if it weren't for Gumball. He smirks at Gumball, pointing near a small bench by fitting rooms.

"Sit there, and look at your phone or something." He says, before going toward the other side of the store. Gumball pulls out his phone, shrugging. He was sure everything would be fine, Rob seemed to have decent enough taste in fashion. Before long, he returned with a bag of clothes. "Alright, let's get going, now it's your turn."

"What? You won't even let me see?" Gumball puts his phone away and crosses his arms. Rob smiles, shrugging.

"You can see when we're done, I'm sure you'll like it. It's a casual dance, right?" Gumball nods. It was a nice casual dance, but he had his sights set on overdressing his boyfriend. It wouldn't do much harm, and he thought Rob would look great in something a little nicer. The two seemed to have completely evil plans for one another, they'd only gone into women's clothing stores so far, and they didn't let eachother look at what they picked.

Before long, the two were back at Gumball's house, where they handed eachother the bags. "Wanna try them on?" Gumball asks, opening the bag Rob handed him. Rob shrugs, nervous, he hoped Gumball didn't plan on embarrassing him. "Okay, then I'll do it anyways!" Gumball hurried over to the bathroom, getting changed. Rob decided to take this time to look at what he'd picked.

"Huh?" Rob gasps as he pulls out a pair of fishnets, and a dark skirt with zippers and buttons down the sides. His cheeks go a darker color, Gumball didn't really expect him to wear this, did he? He pulls out what was left, a pair of knee high socks and a black cropped shirt. The shirt had slightly puffed long sleeves, with a strange grey, barely noticable graph like pattern on it. No way.

Finally, Gumball was out of the bathroom. "Ready?" He calls into the room, waiting behind the door. Without receiving an answer, Gumball slowly pulls the door open, revealing his outfit. His cheeks were red, this outfit looked like it was almost meant for him. He had white frilled knee high socks, and a pastel blue pleated skirt that went nearly down to his knees. His shirt was long sleeved and pretty big, but it suited him well. It was simple, a soft pink color with a white collar, the bottom of the shirt tucked into his skirt. He giggled, posing cutely.

"W.. Wow, I, Gumball! You look..." Rob couldn't finish his sentence, he was a stuttering blushing mess. "Wow." He hid his face, unable to even speak. Gumball came closer, giving Rob a tight hug.

"Can you try on yours too?" He asks. Rob only hides his face more in his hands.

"You really expect me to wear this?" He asks, to which Gumball nods with those pleading eyes. After some time, Rob sighs and gets up. He'd do it for his boyfriend. He went over to the bathroom, changing, though he took a lot longer than he should've. He just felt so hesitant to wear anything like this, it might've looked good on him if his body wasn't so broken. Finally, he comes out, all dressed up. As he's making his way back toward the bedroom, Darwin spots him in the hallway.

"Rob?" He asks, making Rob flinch and give a nervous wave. With that, he hurries back to the bedroom, still a blushing mess. Gumball was waiting at the door, shaking excitedly. He nearly screamed as Rob entered the room.

"It's perfect! We're perfect together, look at us! You're so pretty!" Rob's face couldn't get any redder, he was already so embarrassed and that only made it worse. The two stayed in their outfits, and spent the rest of the evening together, cuddling.

The dance was in just a couple days, and the two were ready, or at least Gumball was.


	13. I do not care anymore

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> my partner helped me write this, they are very cool, so credit to them for a lot of this

Finally, the day of the school dance had arrived. By 6pm all of the students would be dressed up and ready to embarrass themselves in front of all their classmates. Right now, it was only 3pm, the end of the school day. Even if the dance was hours away, it didn't matter to Gumball. He was in his bathroom, brushing out his fur and getting ready to go. He knew getting ready early would pay off, he needed to look his very best, and he was very very excited. The evening previous, he'd washed the clothes he'd been given by his boyfriend, and they were stacked neatly on the toilet seat. He was quick to put them on and pose in the mirror. He had to make sure he looked his best at every angle. He had to make sure he would impress his boyfriend. Without hesitation, he grabbed a small pin out of a nearby drawer. It belonged to his sister, a small star shaped pin that he stuck right in his tuft of fur on the top of his head. On his top was a short strand of his own hair. What?? UNACCEPTABLE! As he picked it off with his fingers, he noticed that even more hair was now stuck to his top. He frowns, he'd never had this problem before, had he? Was he really starting to shed this much?

He heads downstairs, a bright idea in his mind... "Mom! Do we have a lint roller?" Nicole came out of the kitchen, a confused look on her face.

"A lint roller? Why would you need that? Lint rollers are our worst enemy. Have you seen yourself?" Gumball looks down at his paws, before shrugging. Nicole sighs, heading over to a drawer in the kitchen. Soon enough, she'd returned with a small lint roller. It looked as if it had never been used. Gumball snatches it from her hands excitedly, before running up the stairs and back into the bathroom. Wow! His very first lint roller! Now he could fix this problem before the dance. Slowly, he ran the lint roller over the fur on his shirt. It didn't take long for his own fur to somehow be shedding onto the lint roller too. Had he been like this his whole life? Oh no, now that he cared about his appearance, he felt like a perfectionist. He just had to look perfect! Before he could do much else though, there was a loud knock at his front door. Nicole answered, greeted by Rob, all dressed up in the outfit Gumball had bought for him.

Gumball forgot about the lint roller and his fur almost instantly, running down the stairs, into the arms of his boyfriend. Nicole seemed completely confused at their outfits, but she brushed it off, and invited Rob inside. The two sat on the couch, wasting away the time they had left by staring at the TV. Of course, Gumball had his eyes on Rob instead, who was spacing out. Sometimes, it was like he was just in a whole other dimension. Maybe he was. Finally, the clock struck 5:45PM, and the two were ready to go. The two were driven to the school by Nicole, who dropped them off reluctantly. She hated to see her son go off to some huge event all alone, and she didn't know how she felt about Rob, but she was sure it would all be okay. After all, Gumball seemed to really like him, and that was all that should matter to her. As the two stepped inside, other students had just begun arriving. Everyone was dressed in their weird formal tuxedos and dresses, and in the corner of the cafeteria, one person stood alone. It was someone Gumball didn't expect to see anytime soon, especially here. Penny stood in the corner, holding an empty plastic plate. She had on a dress, and looked like she'd dressed up for this. Gumball could immediately tell something was wrong, she just didn't look her best. He decided he wouldn't talk to her.

Instead, the two boyfriends hurried to the center of the dance floor, where other students were already crowding. Gumball was the one to drag them there, and of course they received stares for their outfits. Before long, Gumball was twirling them around, and Rob was begging for him to stop and think about this. This would be something people would remember, two odd boys in skirts and dresses awkwardly twirling in the middle of a high school cafeteria, they would get made fun of for weeks. What he didn't know was that this wasn't like middle school. Rob hadn't been enrolled in any sort of school since the incident where he'd fallen apart and lost everything. It wasn't like he had much to begin with anyways, but it still mattered to him. His sad and strange thoughts began to quickly cloud his mind, he felt so useless. This always happened when he didn't want it to happen, every time he was supposed to be having a good time, things got complicated, things got weird, and he felt horrible. He really didn't want to sour Gumball's good mood, but he didn't know that Gumball had felt the same way. Though he had a smile on his face, he felt terrible inside. Penny was here, standing on the other side of the room, watching the two. She was probably feeling worse than both of them combined, and Gumball knew why she was here. As disapproving as her father was, he'd probably made her go. Penny had not told her family about their breakup yet. She hadn't told anyone, she'd kept quiet and only talked to Mr. Small about her feelings. She'd skipped school for weeks because she didn't know what to do with herself. She always felt like Gumball was her missing piece, even if he was very complicated and horrible at times. Maybe this was good for her though.

Gumball decided to take one last glance over at her, and what he saw made him stop. Penny was staring directly at him, and their eyes made contact. He quickly tried to make himself feel better, looking back at Rob and thinking of all the good that had come out of this, but he just couldn't ignore her. Before he could look away, he noticed tears forming in her eyes. He couldn't be in this room. Quickly, he grabbed Rob's hand, and the two made their way to the bathroom. They just needed to take a break.


	14. stuff happens

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> yeah

Gumball was quick to break into a fit of sobs, Rob's arms tight around him. The two were alone in a bathroom stall, taking a break to calm down. That room was so stressful, but something else was bothering Rob. He had this horrible gut feeling, like something was very wrong. He was quick to brush it off, giving his full attention to his boyfriend. "It'll be alright." Rob says in a calming voice, running a hand through Gumball's fur. He gently pets his head, whispering words of kindness and comfort in his ear.

"Rob... I hurt her so bad, what do I do?" Gumball's sobs only continue even louder than before, tears dripping down his face.

"Well, you never seemed to care about who you hurt before, wonder what changed." Rob muttered under his breath. He loved Gumball, but he had a hard time thinking about their troubled history with one another. That wasn't easy to forget, Gumball had enabled his behavior and caused a lot of his problems for a very long time. Gumball had finally begun to calm down, crying wouldn't solve anything, he needed to actually think of a solution. Of course, he was never good at that, in fact he was the worst at helping anyone effectively. Rob was a pretty great example of that. 

"I need to talk to her." Gumball states quickly, wiping his eyes on Rob's sleeve. "Let's go." He says, standing up straight, looking in the bathroom mirror as he exited the stall. Rob followed, but that bad feeling remained very clear. He knew something was wrong, and he couldn't stop whatever was about to happen, even if he tried. Gumball hadn't said anything, but he also felt it. In fact, he felt it even stronger, that horrible feeling in the bottom of his stomach that something very bad was lurking around the corner. He didn't want to worry Rob, and Rob didn't want to worry him, so neither of them said a thing. As the two entered the cafeteria once again, things felt a little odd. The music seemed to fade into the background quite a bit, and there was a strange nervous feeling in the air. The corner where Penny had been before was empty, and Gumball's mood fell quick. Had she really already left? He really should have talked to her sooner, but no, he just had to cry and whine. He didn't want to ruin this night for Rob, and he decided to make the best out of the situation. After an awkward and quiet moment, Gumball took Rob's hand. Without a moment of hesitation, the two were in the middle of the dance floor once again. Gumball led them in an awkward dance where they stepped on eachother's feet more than once. Each time, they laughed, keeping their eyes on one another. The music only seemed to fade even further into the background as the two danced. They were having a good time, even when things felt dark and weird. It proved they had a strong relationship, at least that was how Gumball saw it. Sadly, their happy moment would come to an end.

Penny walked out of the girl's bathroom, her eyes still wet from the tears she'd shed. She poured herself a glass of water, and dried her eyes with the sleeve of her dress. Gumball stared over Rob's shoulder, straight at Penny. He was afraid of making eye contact with her, but he also didn't want to look away. He couldn't, it was hard to see her like this, but he felt frozen in place. Rob noticed how distant Gumball seemed, and right as he was about to say something, Penny turned to look at the dance floor. Her eyes immediately met with Gumball's, and he felt horrible. She was still here, and he still had the intention of talking with her. He let go of Rob, starting to walk over to Penny. Penny on the other hand, would do anything to avoid a conversation with Gumball right now. She was hurt and heartbroken, but she knew she could get over it if she was just left alone for awhile. Quickly, she dropped her drink, and sprinted out of the building. Rob stopped Gumball before he could get far, grabbing him gently by the wrist. "Where are you going?" He asks.

Gumball turns to look at his boyfriend, worry in his eyes. "I need to talk to Penny, she's still here! If I can just talk to her, maybe I can fix things, and maybe I won't feel so horrible." Rob frowns at this answer, and Gumball sighs. He knew this would only end badly. This must've been why he felt so bad about tonight, something like this always had to happen.

"Forget her. We're having fun, we're finally over this, we were doing so great and then she had to show up and ruin everything again! This isn't the first time, and this won't be the last time either, because you're not over her yet, are you? Tell me the truth already, are you done chasing her? Why did you even leave her if you're constantly thinking about her still?" There was a huge change in Rob's tone of voice, he was angry. It was the same tone he'd used back in the bathroom, when he'd mentioned their past. It was something that scared him. "Then go. Just leave." Rob finally let go of Gumball's wrist, and while it made him feel terrible, he took this chance to leave. He would have to chase after Penny if he wanted to get anything done, and of course he wasn't over her, things just weren't that simple. Quickly, he ran out the door and in the direction of her house. Maybe she'd gone back home, maybe she just needed a break. Would she really go all that way though? She didn't have a car or anything, maybe she went somewhere quiet to call her dad.

"Penny?" He calls out into the evening darkness. There was no answer, but that could be because she was ignoring him. Slowly, he began to head further out into the darkness, deciding to walk around the building and look for her. Nobody was there, and nobody answered whenever he called out for her. Penny was nowhere to be seen, she couldn't have really gotten that far, could she? She'd run out pretty quickly, but she wouldn't be as stupid as to run all the way home in the dark. The dance would be over soon, and Gumball was worried for Rob, but he continued to look for Penny. After walking around the entire building, he decided to take a road he'd never even noticed before. He'd never really been in the area behind the school, so of course there were things he hadn't seen before, but this was just odd. A single streetlamp lit the corner of the street, it seemed to take him out toward the main streets he used to get to school. It was almost like a shortcut back to his neighborhood. He continued to call out Penny's name as he walked toward the streetlamp, feeling relief as he saw a silhouette in the distance. Someone was standing there, and from the looks of it, it could be Penny! He began walking faster. "Penny! I'm so glad I found you, please just talk to me." Gumball stopped as he got closer. That was not Penny.


	15. Almost finale or something or other

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> rob goes crazy

"Who's there?!" Gumball shouts toward the strange figure ahead. He reaches into his pocket, where he'd normally carry a small container of pepper spray he'd been given by his mother, but it wasn't there. He had nothing to defend himself with, it would be so easy to strangle him, or kidnap him, or do something horrible. Luckily, the figure in front of him had no such plans. In fact, this was no stranger at all, Gumball could recognize this person anywhere. "It can't be..." Gumball takes a step back, terrified.

"But it is!" Says the boy in front of him. "Gumball, I missed you so much, and now that I'm here, everything will be so much better!" It was Rob, but not the one he knew from this timeline. This was the Rob he knew in the other universe, it was the one he'd left all alone and saw in his dreams, the one that caused him the most frustration and guilt indirectly. This Rob would never intentionally try and make Gumball feel horrible, but he did anyways. He felt that terrible feeling of guilt wash over him again, something he was all too familiar with by now. Gumball couldn't answer, instead he just stepped further back, trying to avoiding the other's stare. "What's wrong? Don't you remember how great we felt when we were together? I know you were expecting Penny, but isn't this better?"

"How? How did you get here? There's no way, you don't belong here." Gumball's voice was shaking, and so were his hands. Rob only came closer, and closer. In his hand was a familiar object, which he held up for Gumball to see. It was the remote, but how? That had been destroyed more than once at this point, and somehow it just kept coming back.

"Back off." A voice shouted toward this new version of Rob. It was his other self, the one who did belong here, the current one. It didn't take long for Rob to recognize himself, he knew about his broken body and all. After all, it was Gumball who had told him, how could he not remember?

"Oh, look who showed up... Me! Wow, I look so different, I look so... Bad. Did you really choose this over me?" The jealousy was shining through. It was already easy to tell that the present version of Rob was a very jealous guy after their recent argument, and it didn't seem like much had changed for his other self. Had he always been this way? Gumball hadn't noticed. Maybe he wasn't, and maybe Gumball had done this. Had he driven him crazy? Just another thing to be horribly guilty about, another thing to keep him up at night, another consequence. It was mistake after mistake for him, he just always seemed to mess up. "Without you, what am I? You left me, and everything felt so empty, but with this handy little tool I can just come back here! We can redo everything, it'll be just as wonderful as before, just trust me." This was just creepy.

"Things are different now though! I can't be with you now, I've made up with the you from my universe, I've fixed everything I wanted to fix, and well," Gumball cut himself off. There was no way he could finish what he wanted to say, he really didn't want to upset anyone, but he had no choice. "I don't need you!" His tone shifted dramatically. With that, everything seemed to fall silent. Those words also affected his current Rob, he understood what Gumball meant but it did make him feel replaceable. At the same time, it made him feel special, Gumball had chosen this broken and horrid version of himself over something much more perfect and pretty.

"I was that easy to replace? Was I only a practice run? So you used me, but that doesn't really matter. You could just apologize, I'll forgive you! We spent so much time together, I know you feel something for me still, you must!" This Rob was practically begging for Gumball, he needed him, and that gave the other Rob an idea.

"We have to get rid of him." Rob says to Gumball in a hushed voice. "Just let me do the talking, and everything will be fine. He's completely ruined the balance of the other universe, you've given him a purpose where he should have none. Any version of me should end up like me, but in a universe where you pay attention to him, you create a reason for him to exist. You've gone against all odds and done something near impossible. I shouldn't exist, neither should he. There's only one way to fix this. If you stay here, it'll all be fine. You don't exist there, and if I'm correct then he should be the only one who remembers you. He's the only thing left to get rid of to fix this issue of balance." Gumball didn't know how he felt about this, but he trusted this Rob. He trusted him with his life, he'd already done too much to Rob to get upset over this one risky move. Rob shields Gumball with his arms, stepping in front of him to confront himself. It was really hard to see himself in such a clearly deranged state, but he knew he wasn't really like this. Gumball never should've been in that universe to begin with, and that had thrown off the balance entirely. Without giving himself anytime to respond, Rob jumps on his other self, reaching for the remote. It was a little difficult to fight with himself, but he knew all his own weaknesses. He'd caught himself off guard, quickly wrestling the remote away and into his own hands. His other self grabbed for it, but Rob threw it to Gumball. "Quickly, we need to get rid of him, for good! He needs to be doomed to the same fate I was!"

Gumball thinks for a moment, then presses a button. A portal to the void began to open up slowly, and everything was starting to kick in. It hurt a lot, he was just doing it all again. He was going to have to ruin this other Rob's life, though he did already kind of do that by making Rob go literally crazy for him. "I can't... I can't!" Gumball shouts as the current timeline's version of Rob tossed the other version of himself near the portal. Gumball stood in front of him, blocking his way to escape.

"Push him!" Rob screams, but Gumball couldn't even move. The Rob he knew from the other universe was staring at him, sadly. It was a look he'd never seen before, and he couldn't handle it. His eyes were pleading, and his heart was broken as he stared up at his past lover.

"I only wanted to be happy. I don't want to disappear, I don't want to leave you." the hopeless boy says, his voice beginning to crack as tears filled up his eye. Gumball held the remote tight in his hands, aiming it at the Rob in front of him, his finger hovering over the button that would fling him back into the void for eternity. His lover came up behind him, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"It has to be done." He says, but Gumball was quick to disagree. He points the remote at himself then, quickly pressing the rewind button.


	16. wow an ending

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> finally

The days and hours of the past flew by him quicker than sound, quicker than light. It felt like how dying was described, a flash of his life before his eyes. Everything was playing out before him, everything that had led up to this point. This would be his last chance to change everything and make it up to the real present Rob in the right way. Finally, there he was in his own bedroom. The window was shut still, and the sky was dark. He glanced down at his own paws, then back at his surroundings. Everything was back where it started, and there was the tapping against the glass he'd been waiting for. Quickly, Gumball opened the window, pulling Rob inside by his arms. Without hesitation, he pulled him into a hug, causing a mixture of confusion and concern to cover Rob's face. "What are you doing?" He asks, pushing Gumball away.

"Listen, um. It's been awhile, and I've been thinking a lot lately, how about we just be friends? For real this time?" Gumball had never really put effort into their friendship before, but he wanted to now. He was willing to try as long as Rob was too. Rob didn't have any idea how to answer, so he just stood there for awhile, completely confused. He was not ready for this kind of question.

"I'll think about it maybe, um, anyways, I'm here for a reason." Gumball smiles, knowing the reason.

"You just wanted to see me, you missed me!" He says with a giggle, placing a hand on Rob's shoulder. "You can see me more if you just accept my offer, y'know." Rob once again didn't answer. The physical contact really caught him off guard, Gumball was never this touchy with him and it was just strange in every possible way.

"What's gotten into you? You're creeping me out!" Rob says, backing up toward the window. Gumball looks at the floor, Rob had told him he'd dropped the remote on purpose after the events of the other timeline, so maybe he'd cause some trouble and they'd have a reason to see eachother again. There it was, the remote, on the floor. So this was when he dropped it, right before he left. Gumball picked up the remote, handing it to Rob.

"You dropped this." He says, before coming closer, hoping Rob would just leave. "Think about what I said!" He calls out as Rob climbs out the window, quickly falling down to the ground and hurrying off. Darwin walks into the room, pretty confused on the situation as usual.

"Was that?" He starts, to which Gumball nods. Things would go the right way this time. Gumball was absolutely sure of it. This was his last chance, and now he knew all of what he needed to know to make things work.

Finally, maybe he would be able to have a happy ending.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks :3


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